Umberto's Clam House

At this family-run Mulberry Street spot, the kitchen works in the open and the seafood is the point. Since 1972, Umberto Ianniello's place has built a reputation on straightforward dishes like baked clams, octopus salad, and pastas. The clam chowder and lobster bisque draw particular praise, sometimes as the best some diners have ever had. The owner himself is known to wait tables, sharing the spot's colorful history and looking after guests personally. Desserts—cannolis, crème brûlée, chocolate mousse—tend to close the meal on a high note, and even the chicken parm earns raves.